Politico: Ben Sasse (R - Nebraska) “tempts Trump’s wrath by refusing to bow”

xbhaskarx · Jul 10, 2018

Sasse tempts Trump's wrath by refusing to bow
The Republican senator and persistent Trump critic stokes speculation about his intentions with a soon-to-publish book and new nonprofit.

Sasse, a 46-year-old Harvard and Yale-educated former university president, has established himself as a fiery anti-Trump figure. During a Dec. 2015 speech on the Senate floor, he derided then-candidate Trump as a "megalomaniac strongman." Later in the campaign, he called Trump "creepy" and said he was running to become a "king"; said he doesn't think Trump has "any core principles," and skipped Trump's nominating convention to "instead take his kids to watch some dumpster fires."

More recently, Sasse has called the president's tariffs on steel and aluminum imports "dumb," and has described Trump's escalating trade war with China "nuts." His opposition to the tariffs is shared by other farm-state Republicans, though they've used much less pointed language.

The barrage has led to speculation that Sasse is interested in waging a long-shot primary challenge to Trump in 2020. He's set to make a national splash with the release of a new treatise, "Them: Why We Hate Each Other — and How to Heal." According to a description provided by Sasse's publisher, he will bemoan a "pessimistic" country where Americans are "so lonely we can't see straight ― and it bubbles out as anger."

In a move that's sure to further stoke speculation about a presidential campaign, Sasse has started a new tax-exempt political group, America 101, whose mission states: "We believe that in order to prepare ourselves for the challenges of decades to come, fundamental changes are needed. It's time to get back to basics."

What is with the media creating these narratives of Republican politicians "standing up to Trump"? It started during the election (Rubio, even Paul Ryan) and has continued even as the party is remade in Trump's image... Senators like Sasse, Bob Corker, and Jeff Flake make the occasional comment critical of Trump when he's at his most vulgar, and then vote the way Trump wants almost everything, and the media eats it up... "Don't worry, Susan Collins would NEVER vote for a Supreme Court justice who would overturn Roe v Wade!"... even Mitt Romney has pretty much fallen in line with Trump now that he's running for Senate.

When the Trump train inevitably derails and the Republican Party has to pivot somewhat-away from "overt comically evil white nationalism", these guys like Sasse are the Republican leaders who will be held up as examples of the "principled conservatives who resisted Trump" when it reality they didn't do jack shit.

https://twitter.com/onlxn/status/1016368293769240576

https://twitter.com/pattymo/status/1016369968110292992

The reality:
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2017/07/the-wasted-mind-of-nebraska-sen-ben-sasse.html

Sasse's Senate votes have so far aligned with Trump's wishes 95 percent of the time, the same level of support that Trump has gotten from right-wing ideologues like Ted Cruz and party loyalists like Chuck Grassley. Sasse voted to confirm ill-informed Cabinet appointees like Ben Carson and Betsy DeVos; he's voted to steamroll the judicial filibuster and stayed silent about the secretive way the Republican health care bill was written and presented to the public.

BDS · Jul 10, 2018

Ben Sasse is the dude in the movie who pretends like he was secretly trying to destroy the bad guys from within once the angry mob shows up at his door.

cdyhybrid · Jul 10, 2018

A real Jeff Flake

henhowc · Jul 10, 2018

yeah right. These guys don't stand up for anything.

Kenai · Jul 10, 2018

None of em will really have a leg to stand on when their voting records can be accessed so easily

Deleted member 12790 · Jul 10, 2018

BDS said:
Ben Sasse is the dude in the movie who pretends like he was secretly trying to destroy the bad guys from within once the angry mob shows up at his door.

catcher freeman?

MistaTwo · Jul 10, 2018

Gunning for that coveted MaverickButNotReally position, eh?

Not · Jul 10, 2018

Hey Sasse, want to deal Trump a huge blow? You could try not confirming Kavanau--

Sorry, sorry. Can't keep from laughing every time.

Reluctantly Gumblesmug · Jul 10, 2018

yo ben

GestaltGaz · Jul 10, 2018

Ah yes another politician that runs wherever the wind blows and stands for nothing but their own election.

Look not at what they say, but what they do.

Ominym · Jul 10, 2018

Sasse is a huckster, plain and simple. Anyone dumb enough to fall for his act (of which several news institutions have already) aren't putting in the bare minimum amount of effort to research.

Ac30 · Jul 10, 2018

Reluctantly Gumblesmug said:
yo ben

He's been voting consistently

for Trump's agenda and picks

Killthee · Jul 10, 2018

https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/congress-trump-score/ben-sasse/

Such courage.

Dullahan · Jul 10, 2018

BDS said:
Ben Sasse is the dude in the movie who pretends like he was secretly trying to destroy the bad guys from within once the angry mob shows up at his door.

And... I don't think I could have said this any better.

excelsiorlef · Jul 10, 2018

I love the media.

95% with Trump equals a Republican standing up to Trump

3 Democrats voting with the GOP on a bill while the rest reject it equals the bill is passed with bipartisan support.

The low bar in which the GOP is set to is pathetic and one of the key ways they are being enabled

Xe4 · Jul 10, 2018

I mean, I'd love to see an actual primary challenge to Trump. I doubt it'd work, but I'd love to see it. You kinda have to be a bit different on something aside from just tone to do so I'd think.

"My vision for America is the exact same as Trump's and I have no major policy disagreements (maybe tariffs) except I'd less of a shithead and I don't like him" is not exactly a winning proposal to the GOP base.

Deleted member 2171 · Jul 10, 2018

Ben Sasse is a Trump stan and still fucks over as many Nebraskans as fast as he possibly can.

We need to get Pete Ricketts, Deb Fischer, and Sasse out of office in Nebraska so they stop robbing us of our own money and resources.

danm999 · Jul 10, 2018

I can't find Trump reacting to this guy anywhere lol.

Imagine being unable to get a rise out of Donald Trump!

knocturnalis · Jul 10, 2018

When he eventually runs for President, I hope his SNL character name is Sassy.

Ac30 · Jul 10, 2018

Xe4 said:
I mean, I'd love to see an actual primary challenge to Trump. I doubt it'd work, but I'd love to see it. You kinda have to be a bit different on something aside from just tone to do so I'd think.

"My vision for America is the exact same as Trump's and I have no major policy disagreements (maybe tariffs) except I'd less of a shithead and I don't like him" is not exactly a winning proposal to the GOP base.

Well yeah, they love him because he's a shithead.

Xe4 · Jul 10, 2018

Ac30 said:
Well yeah, they love him because he's a shithead.

Yeah, exactly! Trump won the GOP primary explicitly because he said all that horrible stuff and acted like a dumbass. I'm not sure what Sasse want's to accomplish by being exactly like Trump in every way except the way that made Trump win (assuming he's aiming to primary him anyhow, which I doubt he has the guts to).

Blader · Jul 10, 2018

excelsiorlef said:
I love the media.

95% with Trump equals a Republican standing up to Trump

3 Democrats voting with the GOP on a bill while the rest reject it equals the bill is passed with bipartisan support.

The low bar in which the GOP is set to is pathetic and one of the key ways they are being enabled

So many journalists are so desperately afraid of being tarred as liberals (by people who will tar them as liberals no matter what they say or do anyway) that they will trip over themselves to elevate Republicans whenever they can.

ZackieChan · Jul 10, 2018

A republican is boring for republican bills? I'm shocked

Deleted member 14002 · Jul 10, 2018

MistaTwo said:
Gunning for that coveted MaverickButNotReally position, eh?

100% this.

Deleted member 12224 · Jul 10, 2018

ZackieChan said:
A republican is boring for republican bills? I'm shocked

Voting, I assume, before autocorrect, but right?

Why are people expecting a critic of the president to vote against bills they like because of the president in office?

Blader · Jul 10, 2018

cagey said:
Voting, I assume, before autocorrect, but right?

Why are people expecting a critic of the president to vote against bills they like because of the president in office?

I don't think people expect Republican senators to not vote for Republican bills. What people take issue with is the characterization of guys like Sasse and Flake as standing up to Trump, not bowing to Trump, etc. If they're voting for all the bills Trump wants, all the cabinet and judicial nominees he puts forward, fulfills everything he's looking for out of Congress...then in what sense are they standing up to him? The occasional rhetorical jab?

Deleted member 12224 · Jul 10, 2018

Blader said:
I don't think people expect Republican senators to not vote for Republican bills. What people take issue with is the characterization of guys like Sasse and Flake as standing up to Trump, not bowing to Trump, etc. If they're voting for all the bills Trump wants, all the cabinet and judicial nominees he puts forward, fulfills everything he's looking for out of Congress...then in what sense are they standing up to him? The occasional rhetorical jab?

Vocal, persistent opposition is about all I'd expect from a politician of an executive who has ideas they agree with, in normal times. In these times, ardent support for full investigation.

And I don't recall this guy being particularly vocal or persistent or anything re: the myriad investigations; he merely looks that way compared to others.

Voting record doesn't mean much, though.

Dubbedinenglish · Jul 10, 2018

Profiles in courage

ZackieChan · Jul 10, 2018

cagey said:
Voting, I assume, before autocorrect, but right?

Why are people expecting a critic of the president to vote against bills they like because of the president in office?

Yes, crap. Stupid autocorrect

Blader said:
I don't think people expect Republican senators to not vote for Republican bills. What people take issue with is the characterization of guys like Sasse and Flake as standing up to Trump, not bowing to Trump, etc. If they're voting for all the bills Trump wants, all the cabinet and judicial nominees he puts forward, fulfills everything he's looking for out of Congress...then in what sense are they standing up to him? The occasional rhetorical jab?

Is Trump even leading on any of these bills? Seems like he has little to do with any of it.

DrROBschiz · Jul 10, 2018

Whatever

Never let conservatives forget their hand in all this

Trying to polish up their image ... makes me sick

dragonbane · Jul 10, 2018

Lol what a weasel. Fully supporting Trump but also readying his escape pod in case it all goes up in flames so he can pretend he was against Trump all along

Zoph · Jul 10, 2018

Fuck Ben Sasse.

Blader · Jul 10, 2018

cagey said:
Vocal, persistent opposition is about all I'd expect from a politician of an executive who has ideas they agree with, in normal times. In these times, ardent support for full investigation.

And I don't recall this guy being particularly vocal or persistent or anything re: the myriad investigations; he merely looks that way compared to others.

Voting record doesn't mean much, though.

Voting record is the only thing that means anything for a senator! "Vocal persistent opposition"...opposition to what? It's surely not the policies, or the executive appointments, or the bills, or the rampant corruption.

A senator's primary power - and, unless they're a committee chair, their only power - is with their vote. Anyone who votes in lockstep with Trump's priorities is not mounting any kind of opposition to him. The abstract arguments about what kind of threat Trump represents are meaningless if Sasse, or anyone else with similar concerns, continue to carry water for him in every appreciable way.

ZackieChan said:
Yes, crap. Stupid autocorrect

Is Trump even leading on any of these bills? Seems like he has little to do with any of it.

I didn't say Trump was writing the bills himself. But he pretty loudly lends his support to this ACA bill, that tax bill, these immigration bills, and so on. And when the president tweets out his support for a given bill, that's leading on it.

Deleted member 12224 · Jul 10, 2018

Blader said:
Voting record is the only thing that means anything for a senator! "Vocal persistent opposition"...opposition to what? It's surely not the policies, or the executive appointments, or the bills, or the rampant corruption.

A senator's primary power - and, unless they're a committee chair, their only power - is with their vote. Anyone who votes in lockstep with Trump's priorities is not mounting any kind of opposition to him.

For this specific discussion, analyzing a politician's voting record to see if they dislike an executive by voting against their party's bills that they agree with, just for protest's sake, is silly.

"I support the tax cut bill, sure, but this Trump guy sure is an asshole, so I vote no." I'm not understanding why people expect that to have happened.

His voting record doesn't show if he likes or dislikes Trump. It does show he likes the policies getting implemented under him, regardless of his view of the guy, and that's all that matters. Maverick rebel narrative stuff is just narrative.

DOT_mjo · Jul 10, 2018

Imagine bowing for the president of the United States.

mutantmagnet · Jul 10, 2018

Killthee said:
https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/congress-trump-score/ben-sasse/

Such courage.

Was going to quote this.

Ignoring basic procedural stuff he rubberstamped all of Trump's appointments. On the important issues he agreed with nearly everything. The only exceptions were he consistently voted against relief funding efforts that Trump backed and he voted against two trade related issues that I agree Trump was making worse.

Overall he still is a selfish Republican who wants to cripple struggling Americans and enable the rich and enforce conservative social values that aren't healthy for this melting pot.

Blader · Jul 10, 2018

cagey said:
Maverick rebel narrative stuff is just narrative.

Well yes, that's why this article and all the others like it about Sasse, Flake, Corker, et al. are so annoying.

I don't expect Republicans to vote against Republican bills. I'm just tired of New York and DC media fellating these guys as if they're heroes of the Republican Party when they've made the same Faustian pact that the rest of their party has.

WolverinesFather · Jul 10, 2018

The sad thing is that it is so obvious that he doesn't care to be senator, he just wanted a starting point to run for higher office. It was obvious when he was running.

Futureman · Jul 10, 2018

mutantmagnet said:
Ignoring basic procedural stuff he rubberstamped all of Trump's appointments.

I can understand voting for typical Republican crap that would happen in any administration, but Sasse voted in people like Pruitt?

Ac30 · Jul 10, 2018

Futureman said:
I can understand voting for typical Republican crap that would happen in any administration, but Sasse voted in people like Pruitt?

Destroying the planet is an integral part of the Republican Party platform.

Omegasquash · Jul 10, 2018

WolverinesFather said:
The sad thing is that it is so obvious that he doesn't care to be senator, he just wanted a starting point to run for higher office. It was obvious when he was running.

Yup. His media rounds seemed to slow down (at least there were fewer blips on my radar) once Trump was elected. My (unsubstantiated) hunch is that the establishment told him to get in line and quiet down if he wants any support. He's a Republican, no doubt about it, and I haven't looked at his voting record on issues of equality, so I can't speak to that in any informed way.

I think he was posturing for a 2020 presidential run against Hillary.

LakeEarth · Jul 10, 2018

Ahh, a familiar tale. Strong, proud GOP member stands up to Trump and courageously votes 'yes' to everything Trump wants.

Musubi · Jul 10, 2018

Using the terminology "bow" with the president is yeesh troubling.

Nali · Jul 10, 2018

Getting really tired of media outlets pretending there are any good Republicans.

Nassudan · Jul 10, 2018

MistaTwo said:
Gunning for that coveted MaverickButNotReally position, eh?

The ol' Mccain strategy.

Amibguous Cad · Jul 10, 2018

The problem with Never Trump congresscritters is that, from the perspective of a Never Trump Republican virtually everything bad about the Trump presidency is stuff the Congress has little control over, and everything Trump needs from the Congress is stuff a normal conservative would like.

It's pretty unreasonable to expect Sasse (or Flake, or any of them) to suddenly support Obamacare, oppose tax cuts, or pass up on an opportunity to stack the court with conservative justices, stuff they've supported for years and campaigned on, just because Trump supports them. Meanwhile, aside from passing sanctions that Trump ignores, there's very little any of them can do about starting a stupid trade war with China, nearly getting us into a nuclear confrontation with North Korea, or blessing Russia's conquest of Crimea. The best they can do is undermine the perception of the party closing ranks to protect Trump and to work to protect the Mueller investigation - two things they've already done.

The rubber will really hit the road if/when Democrats gain control of Congress.

Deleted member 8257 · Jul 10, 2018

This chump voted to repeal obamacare every single time and in lockstep voted for Trump policies. Media is enamored because off screen he is mavericky. Fuck outta here.

Mr Paptimus · Jul 10, 2018

I really think Dems should take one from the Trump playbook and really start blasting the media for this shit. Point out how they're always trying to redeem the gop or play both sides, or create horse races where there's is none. There's clearly a lot of anger at shit like this they could take advantage of.

Of course that takes balls so Dems would never do it.

Vic Damone Jr. · Jul 10, 2018

During the hearing last year he seemed to consider Russia and hacking a threat, guess it was a ruse.

photonblack · Jul 10, 2018

Politico is such neo liberal trash. So worried about "civility" but not policy that affects lives. fuck them.

Politico: Ben Sasse (R - Nebraska) “tempts Trump’s wrath by refusing to bow”

User requested account closure

SNK Gaming Division Studio 1

Always bets on black

Bad Praxis

User requested account closure

User requested account closure

user requested account closure

user requested account closure

user requested account closure

Unshakable Resolve - Prophet of Truth

Deleted member 8257